Sun Boy
Legion of Super-Heroes Team Member Sun Boy is a superhero in the 30th and 31st centuries. Sun Boy (his real name Dirk Morgna of the planet Earth) is a Legion of Super-Heroes member with the ability to unleash internal solar energy to whatever degree he wishes, from enough to light a single candle to enough to incinerate a planet. __TOC__ Background Information In the parallel-universe of Earth-One, in the 30th century, Dirk Morgna's mother died during child birth and Dirk was raised by his distant, business-minded father Derek Morgna. Dirk's father owned a nuclear power plant and Dirk worked as an assistant there as an adolescent. His father raised him to stand up to humiliation and injury by responding in kind. Dirk often found himself badly alienating anyone who started up with him. This turned out to be a bad move in the case of Doctor Zaxton Regulus, who had been employed by Dirk's father at a time that Dirk was doing odd jobs in his laboratory. The two got along badly from the start, and Dr. Regulus's anger burned even hotter. On one of Dirk’s deliveries, he interrupts an illegal experiment that Dr. Regulus was performing. The machine the scientist is working on explodes. The resulting accident killed one of Dirk's co-workers, and destroyed Dr. Regulus's career. Dr. Regulus blames the accident, and his subsequent dismissal on Dirk, (who had ignored warning signs around Dr. Regulus's lab, and so, to an extent, was responsible despite the illegality of the experiment) and locked him in a nuclear reactor for revenge. But Dirk got lucky. Due to his "one-in-a-million genetic structure" instead of killing him, the radiation gives him the power to generate heat and light. He essentially became a living sun.This origin and back story is found in Secrets of the Legion of Super-Heroes, #2 (February, 1981) and a post-crisis story found in Legion of Super-Heroes, #28 (April, 1992) With the power to radiate bright light, he tried out for the Legion with code name ‘Sun Boy’, but was turned down for that year’s membership slots. Instead Brainiac 5 and Supergirl were chosen instead.As revealed in Action Comics #276/2 (May 1961). He reapplied later after discovering that he was also able to project heat and was accepted.As revealed in Adventure Comics #290 (November 1961). He was once forced to leave the Legion after a temporary power loss, but this was very short-lived.As revealed in Adventure Comics #301/2 (October 1962). Unfortunately, he never felt that the Legionnaires truly accepted him, and constantly set out to prove his potency as a Legionnaire and as a man. His insecurities once led him to take too many space missions, driving him mad with space fatigue and almost dooming himself and the entire population of the planet Xenn.As revealed in Adventure Comics #318 (March 1964). Dirk has come to be known as a womanizer, and has never kept a relationship for long. Sun Boy and his fellow Legion heroes battle an immensely powerful being shrouded in darkness, ultimately revealed to be the ancient ruler of Apokolips, Darkseid. He makes his way to the 30th century with an ingenious plot to finally conquer the universe and with his evil minions (Servants of Darkness) he sets out to do so. Sun Boy’s powers were instrumental in weakening the Servants of Darkness, even though he was nearly by Darkseid himself.'The Great Darkness Saga' is a Legion of Super-Heroes storyline written by Paul Levitz and Keith Giffen, with illustrations by Giffen. It was published in the Legion of Super-Heroes series and leads into The Curse. This storyline is revealed in Legion of Super-Heroes, #290 - #294 (Aug. - Dec. 1982). His past too also back to haunt him. Doctor Regulus become one of the Legion's most persistent enemies.As revealed in Adventure Comics, #348 (September 1966); Superboy, Vol. 1 #191/2 (October 1972); Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes, #232 (October 1977); #286 (April 1982) and Legion of Super-Heroes, Vol. 3 #15 (October 1985). Powers and Abilities Super Powers * Unique Physiology: As a metahuman Dirk's latent physiology enabled him to survive the nuclear accident that grants him his powers. ** Energy Projection: Sun Boy can internally generate an almost limitless supply of solar energy, from the smallest candle flicker to a blistering furnace. ** Energy Resistance: He is also immune to virtually all forms of heat and solar radiation. Abilities * Aviation: Sun Boy was an above-average pilot and frequently piloted the Legion LX-811 space cruisers. * Hand-to-Hand Combat (Basic): As a cadet, all potential members of the Legion undergo personal combat training. * Mechanical Aptitude: Sun Boy possessed a small degree of understanding when it came to 30th century technology, and could often be found repairing Legion star cruisers. * Photography: Sun Boy was an amateur photographer, but typically only engaged in the activity as a hobby in his spare time. Weakness * Reflections: Sun Boy's power to radiate light and heat can be reflected back on him by mirrors, jewels and even creatures that possess reflective physical characteristics. *Nyctophobia: Sun Boy has a fear of the dark. Fortunately for Dirk, his powers compensate for this fear, and it rarely presents a problem for him. Paraphernalia Equipment * Legion Flight Ring: As a member of the Legion of Super-Heroes he is provided a Legion Flight Ring. It allows him to fly and protects him from the vacuum of space and other dangerous environments. With his Legion flight ring (or earlier flight belt) he can use another power while flying. Appearances * SuperFriends Comic Book: **''Super Friends #7'' and ''Super Friends #8'' references the following cross-universe story: *** ''All-Star Comics, #68'' (October 1977) -- implied only *** Justice League of America, Vol. 1 #147 (October, 1977) -- directly referenced *** Justice League of America, Vol. 1 #148 (November, 1977) -- directly referenced *** ''All-Star Comics, #69'' (November 1977) -- implied only Notes * Sun Boy was created by Jerry Siegel and Jim Mooney. * His real name was first revealed in Adventure Comics, #302 (Nov. 1962). External Links *Sun Boy at the DC Database *Sun Boy at Wikipedia References Category:Superheroes Category:Characters Category:Superman supporting characters Category:DC characters Category:Super Friends comic book characters Category:SuperFriends Comic book